next weekend there will be the Monster Zero Summer Mash, we decided to make a special post, asking a couple of questions to all the bands involved. Here is the timetable (more info here) of the MZSM and the questions. Read and enjoy!

Friday 11th July

Teenage Bubblegums 20:30 – 21:00 (tiki stage)

Riccobellis 21:15 – 21:45 (tiki stage)

Tough 22:00 – 22:30 (Goomba stage)

The Apers 22:45 – 23:15 (Goomba stage)

23:30 – 02:00 AM Monster Zero DJ Set

Saturday 12th July

Ratbones 16:00 – 16:30 (tiki stage)

On My Arms 16:45 – 17:15 (tiki stage)

The 3 Slugs 17:30 – 18:00 (tiki stage)

The Nuts 18:15 – 18:45 (tiki stage)

The Bat Bites 19:30 – 20:15 (tiki stage)

The Griswalds 20:30 – 21:15 (tiki / Goomba stage)

The Mugwumps 21:30 – 22:15 (Goomba stage)

The Manges 22:30 – 23:15 (Goomba stage)

1 – Could you shortly present your band?

2 – What the Ramones mean for you?

3 – What are your expectations from the Monster Zero Summer Mash?

4 – Thanks for the answers, where we can listen your music? Could you give us your contacts? Gabba Gabba!

THE MANGES

1 – We are The Manges from La Spezia, we play punk rock music, we released a good bunch of records and played with many of our favorite bands.

2 – They’re the greatest rock’n’roll band of all times and being fans of the Ramones made us who we are today.

3 – We’re gonna meet a lot of friends and watch them all perform cool shows.

THE APERS

MUGWUMPS

First Show on Halloween 2002! Since that we did some records, been quite active and also very inactive! Especially between
2009 – 2013! We’re, geeks, collect records and we like to watch TV! But we’re nice! Andi likes Metal!! Our music could probably best described as a mix of Screeching Weasel and Head!!

2 – I think it’s pretty obvious that they mean a lot! Fav band of all 3 of us!!

3 – Pretty high temperature, meeting (old) friends, world cup talk and some bad jokes about my new haircut!! I really hope that there will be some people who enjoy our set!!

4 – You can listen to our music next Saturday at the MZSummer Mash!! We don’t have facebook, bandcamp etc. …but we have a website: www.the-mugwumps.at ! There is some contact info and a few mp3s! If you have any other questions,just drop us a line!!

TEENAGE BUBBLEGUMS

1- Hi! We are Teenage Bubblegums, an Italian power punk rock trio since 2007. We all dress in black, playing fast, no stops and love songs only.

2- Are u kiddin’ me? Ramones saved our lives.

3- We are really happy to play again at the MZM. It’s a hell of party. You know, what happens at MZM stays at MZM.

TOUGH

1 – Hi guys, we are Tough from Piacenza\Milan, we play fast, straight and simple three chords punk rock.

2 – The Ramones mean life.

3 – We are so excited for the release of our brand new 7” called ”Obey the Ramones”, and we will play for the first time the new tunes. We wanna rock and we wanna party very hard!

4 – You can reach us on facebook and bandcamp, you will find our very beautiful stuff!!! 😉

GRISWALDS

1 – Us Griswalds are – Steve Legend on Guitar/Vocals, Ben Nuthink on Bass/Vocals and Daz Reject on Drums/Backing Vocals. We’ve been doing this Ramones fast Punk Rock since 1995!

2 – The Ramones for me (Steve Legend) we’re who got me into what we often call Pop Punk. Back when I was a teenager I was a bit of a Metaller but discovered the Ramones through their Loco Live album. I just loved the simple catchy power they gave off with songs that you could sing along too but also go crazy too. I also loved how they didn’t stop too! I was lucky enough that I got to see them 3 times live and it was always amazing, would make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up as soon as they played The Good, The Bad and The Ugly before coming out and blowing everyone away! We got to support Dee Dee back in 1996 too which was incredible. From way back then I’ve just loved that 3 chord power “Pop” Punk.

3 – The Monster Zero Mash will be like all the others – Kick-Ass of course!! Just a bit hotter cos it’s July and in Italy! Whoop!

BAT BITES

1 – We are the Bat Bites. Creatures of the Night, all dressed up in black and white. We are villains of punk rock, play catchy tunes with a little bite. We love to party with our friends and dance and drink with them all night!

2 – The Ramones always have been a huge inspiration for us. We love them. It will always be our favorite band.

3 – We hope to hang out with many of our friends, see many good bands and enjoy some sun.

4 – Our first two EP’s are available on bandcamp. We have a new record coming out on the 5th of september. There’s a teaser song for the album available on youtube.

THE NUTS

01 – Hi! We’re the Nuts!

Our band it’s formed by me, Vale (lead singer-bass), Davide (guitar- chorus) and Palmina (drums-chorus) Me and Davide are friends since a long time and used to play together some years ago in a never-known punk rock band called The Sockets. We never really gave up our will to put a band together so after meeting Palmina (ex Photogenics – Coco’s) we thought to give ourselves a second try.. And.. Here we are!

02 – Well.. This surely will be the most obvious answer ever. They are the band I never get tired to listen to. They are the band that touches me the most. They were the first band who put together the coolest things that music can transmit: energy and powerfull mixed to catchy melody.. In their own and unique way. They are pure rock’n’roll. And of course my favourite band of all times.

03 – Honestly I don’t have any real expectation.. Except of course having fun and party with all the people down there! I personally love the MZM a lot and it’s one of my favourite event of the year.. I would have gone there anyway.. but since we are gonna play there too it’s gonna be even more fun!!

ON MY ARMS

1 – We’re a punk rock band based in Venice. We’re together since 2011 and back in that year we recorded our first demo “Ready to Go“. Our sound is influenced by historical bands such as Ramones and Riverdales, but also by the more recent Teenage Bottlerocket.

2 – They are the best band of the world, we’re grateful to them. Every time we hit the stage we keep in mind the words of Dee Dee “The Ramones saved my life. Without the Ramones would have died a million times“.

3 – We’re really happy to be part of this amazing festival. It doesn’t happen every week to play with the bands you love and party with them. we will do our best to make this festival epic. The scene in Italy exists and is pretty cool, and is a huge opportunity to have the Monster Zero Mash in Italy this year.

RATBONES

1 – The command was officially founded in the back of a skate shop in 2003 by a group of three veterans of different wars fought during the 90s for peace, freedom and for the glory of the Ramones. Many fighters have come and gone in recent years, some have fallen on the field, other honorably discharged, today things are like this: Cap: Guitar and vocals, Andre Monelli Bass and 1-2-3-4, Pablo Ratòn: drums

2 – It is very hard to explain because the Ramones are an other plan than any other band but if I had to say it in few words I would probably say that they are dealing with something like “life is not so disgusting, you can always go home and put on leave home and say sayonara to all“

THE 3 SLUGS

1 – We started playing few months ago. We are the first all filipino band who played punk rock here in italy.
2 – They are the GODS.
3 – To enjoy and have some fun playing rock n roll.
4 – Sorry. We have no records. Here is our facebook page www.facebook.com/the3slugs

[A] – Hi Kevin, how are you? How the things are going at Monster Zero head-quarter?

[K] – Hey Andrea, all good here, very busy with all the preparations for the Monster Zero Summer Mash in Bergamo next week. And of course watching the World Cup!

[A] – You are well-known to be the singer/bass-player of the Apers but everyone knows you run a label, called Monster Zero Records, born in 2007. How did you come up with this idea? Who is running MZR with you?

[K] – Actually it started with a party called the Monster Zero Mash. Then I found out that Banana Brain by The Mugwumps had only been released on vinyl, so I asked them if I could release it on CD. That’s how we started! Besides me, there’s my sister Kim who helps me with everything. Merel from Bat Bites takes care of the artwork and Ivo Backbreaker from the Apers helps her with stuff and takes care of the website and the newsletter. Ox from Accelerators, Stefan from Stardumb and many others are always there to help me with stuff aswell.

[A] – Monster Zero Records is definitely one of the most attractive punk rock label in Europe. What are the parameters for a band in order to join the family MZ? How do you work with the bands? New releases on the horizon?

[K] – Pfff, most important is that I like the bands, their music and the people in the band. That’s basically it. It’s my personal punkrock Pokemon, I gotta collect ’em all! And I’m proud to call all of the bands on the label my friends. That’s why sometimes it’s a bit unprofessional, but that’s the way it is. And yes, we have many new releases coming up! We just released the new record by The Windowsill and there’s new material in works by Bat Bites, Maladroit, Not Scientists, 7Years Bad Luck and The Apers!

[A] – What’s your favourite MZR release ever?

[K] – I love them all equally!

[A] – Ok, let’s talk about the Monster Zero Mash. What can you tell us about it? What are the best memories so far about all the MZM past editions?

[K] – To be honest, I don’t remember that much hehehe. All editions were special. The first few in Rotterdam, at the Waterfront, the Watt and the Exit. That was great, exciting. Rotterdam is a great city and back then, the scene was booming. Innsbruck has been amazing three times aswell. The Belgian punkrock division that drove up there 3 times to really take down the place. All the bands, all the afterparties. It’s punkrock and it’s fun.

[A] – In a couple of weeks, for the first time, there will a summer edition of the MZM. Why Italy? Do you love us? 🙂 What are your expectations about it?

[K] – Yes, I LOVE Italia! I have been talking to Franz from Otis Booking for awhile about throwing a party in Italia, and we finally decided to go for it. I expect it to be fun and I hope that many Italian punkrockers come out to support Italian and European bands that work hard for a scene they believe in. Besides that I hope to get drunk and maybe smoke some weed!

[A] – What are the plans for both nights?

[K] – Bands, beer, DJs and party action! On Saturday we also have some acoustic fun, so we start around 14:00. Non-stop Rock N Roll!

[A] – Could you spend few words about the bands involved with the fest?

[A] – Here at I Buy Records, we are Ramones-junkies, so we’ve to ask you something about our favourite band. What’s your first memory related to the Ramones?

[K] – In 1995 I was on holiday in the USA and I picked up a copy of End Of The Century. After that I immediately started The Apers. In 1996 Marien Nicotine, Ivo Backbreaker and myself went to Amsterdam to see them on the Adios Amigos tour. Our first show was a month later at a Ramones cover festival.

[A] – Ok, a extra question that punk-rockers don’t care, but I do. Who will win the Soccer World Cup? Please, don’t be patriotic!

[K] – I’m watching it as we speak, and I really hope that the Netherlands are gonna win it. So far no other team has really impressed me, but ofcourse Germany, France, Brasil and Argentina are all really good teams.

[A] – Ok, Kevin is time to let you go, thanks for the time you spent answering to our question. Be free to say what you want! See you soon, Gabba Gabba!

[K] – Come party with us at Edonè, Bergamo on July 11/12 at the Monster Zero Summer Mash. Thepunkrockdontstop! And check out our online store: Monster Zero Records.

The 10th Anniversary of Dee Cracks proposed a tasty
binge of punk -rock, so I Buy Records! could not miss it and had all
the more reason to support the boys after the recent misadventure in the
United States , so that, in partnership with the barracks SNAFU, we
decide to plan a trip in the direction of Klagenfurt, Austria.

The birthday of the Austrian panzer included two days of celebration ,
Friday was the nostalgic night with the reunion of The The Cretins (in
practice, the same band as Dee Cracks with a second guitar) plus 3 other
local bands : the Boysclub that apparently they play just sometimes,
the Rodriguez and Springy Pinestix : apparently both bands were not
playing for ten years.
The evening of Saturday was instead a real International Punk Rock Party
with our Tough, The 20 Belows from Denmark , The Apers from
Netherlands and of course Dee Cracks. As far as we have been told, the
evening of Friday was a real triumph , between 250-300 attendance ! Too
bad we obviously arrived right for the Saturday and the audience was
much lower : it seemed to be in Italy because the locals have criminally
absconded and we have been to many of the “Bel Paese” to be moved to
show our love for Dee Cracks . As we say … No
one is a prophet at home.

However , we leave aside the controversy and talk about this great party
. The audience was warmed up by our Tough. As usual massive
performance , super intense half an hour to continue the promotion of
the last record Four ( in my opinion one of the best albums I’ve heard
in 2013 ) performed We Gotta Go Tonight, Pleasant Valley Sunday, Silly For Sally,Hey Baby Monster! alternating with pieces of previous
releases as Johnny Is A Marshal, Got a Problem, Radio Pop .. etc etc..
Tear-jerker closure with Claire of the Stinking Polecats.

Fast change on the stage and it is the time of the 20 Belows. Longtime
friends and mates of the last (or penultimate .. see you like to call
it) U.S. tour with Dee Cracks , the 4 Danish despite having played very
little in 2013 did not seem rusty at all, in fact I have to say that
they seemed quite fit! Between a song and another ( For Better Days , Repress , Momentum , Someday Somewhere, Nightmare, Agree, Staying In ,
etc. etc. ) have also presented a new piece , My Song , which I suppose
will be present in the next 7” out. I can’t wait for the new 7” and
maybe a new tour that will pass through Italy.

Then it is the turn of the Apers with Simone Riccobelli ( excellent
performance, bravo! ) on second guitar . Even they were not playing for
a long time but when there is talent and passion, it may take months
and months without playing that you are able to play great. And they
have amply shown with an excellent performance playing: Word is Out,
Only The Grim Reaper, Friday Night Killed Saturday Fun, Too Many
Backpacks At The Show, Said You’d Call Me, Please Come Back To Me ( I
Can’t Live Without You ), a tribute to Dee Cracks with Monkey Boy,
Something More To Someone Else, Wait a Little Longer, It’s All Over
You Know, Whatever it takes, Everyday Is a Rock n Roll Day, Jagerbomb
and the inevitable tribute to the Ramones with Bonzo Goes To Bitburg.
As usual great show and lots of fun , by the book of punk-rock .

To close the night, of course, were the Dee Cracks . I wanted it all,
Monkey Boy, The Hangover Hop, Ritalin For Lunch, Beach 90, Rat In A
Trap, It’s Always Been This Way, You Messed Up My Head and closure
cover to the bitter end , more a couple of new songs and some cover
including Banana Brain of Mugwumps, Baby Baby of The Vibrators and
This ain’t Hawaii of Screeching Weasel, just to mention a few.
At the moment there are very few bands able to show quality and above
all dedication to the cause as they do, these 3 Austrian guys. It was
the first thing I noticed when , long ago, I got to know them personally
. Just see them at least once to see what I mean : they play for fun,
for fun , but mainly because they believe in what they do … and this
can only be a good thing in a scene that certainly in crisis and
suffering for the immobility .Best wishes to Matt, Mike and Manu for a bright career and for another
ten years full of satisfactions. Go Monkeys!